This invention relates generally to the field of item destruction. More specifically, the invention relates to automated systems and methods to verify that an item is intended to be destroyed and to produce an audit record of the destruction.
A variety of organizations issue cards to their customers. For example, such organizations may issue credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, loyalty cards and the like to their customers. Often, such organizations contract with another company to produce and mail such cards to the end consumer. For a variety of reasons, once produced some of the cards may need to be destroyed. For instance, some cards may be returned by the postal service as being undeliverable, the customer""s account may be closed, or the like.
While such cards can be manually destroyed, such a process is time intensive. Further, such a process can make it difficult to produce reliable records of the destruction.
A variety of items other than cards may also need to be destroyed in an efficient and documented manner. For example, an organization may be contractually obligated to destroy certain items provided under the terms of a confidentiality agreement. This destruction may need to be certified or verified in some manner.
Hence, this invention relates to systems and techniques that maybe used to destroy a wide variety of items. Further, the destruction may proceed in an efficient and documentable manner.
The invention provides systems and methods for destroying various types of items in an automated manner. The items may be destroyed after a reader reads some type of identification information that is associated with the item. This information may optionally be used to verify that the item is intended to be destroyed. The item is moved from the reader to a destruction device in an automated manner. Further, delivery to the destruction device is verified and a record is produced that may be used for auditing purposes.
Examples of items that may be destroyed in such a manner include financial instruments, such as charge cards, debit cards, checks, money orders, and the like. Other possible items include any documents, such as business documents, legal documents, financial documents, and the like. Further items may include prototypes, products, weapons, biological materials or samples, pharmaceuticals, medical items, contraband, illegal materials and the like.
A variety of sensing systems may be used to verify destruction of the items. Such sensing systems may include, for example, imaging systems that produce images of the items as they leave the reader and enter into the destruction device. In come cases, the imaging system may also image the associated identification information. The sensing system may alternatively comprise a sensor that senses when an item passes by it, such as by interrupting a beam that impinges on the sensor. Other types of sensing systems may be those capable of weighing the items to ensure that the item to be destroyed falls within an expected range of weights. This may be used in combination with a laser or similar sensor the may be used to indicate when the weight measurement should be taken. As another example, the size of the item may be measured to determine whether it is within a range of expected sizes. If an expected parameter is exceeded, a signal may be sent to a controller to stop the destruction process. Further, a variety of destruction devices may be used, such as shredders, cutters, incinerators, pulverizers, and the like.
In one embodiment, a card destruction system comprises a reader for reading identification information from a card. A controller is coupled to the reader to receive the identification information and to determine whether the card is to be destroyed. A delivery sensor is also coupled to the controller to sense when the card is delivered to a card destruction device. The controller uses the sensed information to produce a record of the destruction. In this way, an automated system is provided to confirm that a card is to be destroyed, to destroy the card, and to confirm that the card was in fact destroyed.
In one aspect, a moving system may be used to move the card through the reader and to the card destruction device. Such a moving system may be constructed of a plurality of rollers that may rotate in opposite directions to move the card through the system. For convenience of manufacture, an AC motor may be used to rotate rollers that are both upstream and downstream of the reader. A DC motor may also be used to rotate rollers that are associated with the reader. In this way, the controller may be used to stop rotation of the reader rollers (by stopping the DC motor) if a card has been read by the reader but a confirmation that the card is to be destroyed has not been received. In this way, the card is prevented from prematurely passing to the card destruction device. Conveniently, sensors may be provided just before and after the reader to track the location of the card as it enters and exits the reader.
In a further aspect, the system may include a feeding mechanism to feed individual cards from a stack of cards and to the moving system. The feeding mechanism may include a cam that is moved based on a signal from the controller to in turn move a card from the stack and into the moving system.
The card destruction system may also include a switch that is disposed along the moving system downstream of the reader to direct the card to the destruction device or to a holding location depending on the determination from the controller as to whether the card should be destroyed. In a further aspect, the record produced by the controller may include information such as the identification information, a time and date of destruction, the operator monitoring the destruction, and the like.
Hence, in use an operator simply needs to place a stack of cards that are to be destroyed into the feeding mechanism. Cards from the stack are then individually fed into the moving system where their identification information is read and checked to confirm that the cards are to be destroyed. If so, the cards are directed to the card destruction device where a sensor confirms their destruction.